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Author
Topic: Another New Guy on the Block! (Read 4281 times)

Wanted to say hello to all! Diagnosed June 6, 2012 after having some major health issues. I cried all day! I wanted to give up right off the bat! I didn't know where to turn for answers or advice! I called a friend out in California who has been poz for quite a while and told him. He listened to my as I sobbed and played the what if game and then he told me to get my crap together that I can either choose to be a survivor or I could just give up! He told me about this site and told me to learn everything I can! I'm trying. I started out with an HIV doctor who turned out to be a J A! He was more concerned about me prosecuting the guy who infected me! He informed me I was resistant to many of the meds but started me on 4 different med twice a day. The jerk didn't read my file and didn't realize I was allergic to sulfur drugs. One of the meds had sulfur and after three days of the meds, I was hospitalized for a severe reaction. Needless to say, the crap hit the fan when I went to see him next! He admitted he didn't see that I was allergic to sulfur! After a few choice words, I fired him. I then went to a new specialist who performed many different test to determine what I could take. The one thing the two doctors had in common was that I needed to start on meds as soon as possible. I'm still somewhat ignorant of the VL and CD4 but they told me that one was already at 300 and that was not good. My new doctor consulted with other doctors and finally they decided that Atripla plus Isentress was best for me. Three weeks ago I started taking the meds. A week later, I'm in the hospital again! Apparently, the Isentress did not go well with the Atripla for me! I have been on the Atripla alone now for a week. It is doing some weird things to me but I am managing! I take it at night to lessen the side affects. I still had a sever rash, looked like a boiled lobster at one time. I'm now on day 5 of the Atripla alone and I seem to be doing ok. I go in two weeks for my blood work to see how things are going. I am looking forward to it!! I am finally feeling better and seem to be getting my energy back! I hope it is working! Hopefully I will not forget to get a copy of my test results so I can post. Maybe then some of you whom I have been reading may be able to shed some light on things for me! THANKS for being here!!! I know I'm not alone!!

Yikes what a shitty roller coaster it's been for you. I cant believe you had such an idiot doctor, but thankfully you've gotten rid of him. Sounds like your new doctor is on top of things a bit better.

When you say the Atripla is doing some "weird things" to you, what exactly is it doing?

The 300 probably refers to your CD4, and while that is low, it's not critically low. The main thing is you are on meds now and your CD4 numbers will improve over time.

Glad you are feeling better. Please keep us posted on the numbers when you get them.

i dont believe in those meds they screw you over more overtime.. just positive thinking, exercise,and good eating habits and good sleep. good luck !

First off, welcome!

Don't listen to this advice. All the positive thinking in the world isn't going to a damn thing for you. I guess all those millions of people that have died of AIDS, I guess that was their problem, not enough positive thinking.

Anyway back to the topic at hand. It's good to hear you switched doctors and now are with one you are more comfortable with. One thing you will find with HIV is you need to be involved in your own care and step one in that is finding a doctor you are comfortable with.

I am also on Atripla. Each of the side effects you have mentioned are common and I experienced in the beginning also. Have comfort >they go away<. Although every once in awhile an odd dream does surface but usually they are quite interesting.

Welcome to the forums. I am glad to hear you're getting some energy back. Since many do have allergic reactions to drugs like Bactrim, docs should always ask. My doc didn't ask, when I was put on it. Luckily, I didn't have an issue. One thing I've learned from having the hospital put me on mono-therapy, which caused resistance, is that you've always got to question and review all medicines and procedures. A med assistant gave me the wrong hepatitis vaccination. That didn't have major consequences, but reminded me to always question what drug/injection I am given.

Again, thank each of you for your kind words in great information and advice! I am doing much better and even feeling better! I go in about two weeks to get new blood draws again to see how the meds are doing. I'm optimistic! Yes, I have had some interesting dreams. Fortunately nothing that caused me any distress. I was sharing with a friend just this morning that the dreams seemed quite vivid at times. However, they tend to be very interesting and even somewhat entertaining at times! Now that the rash seems to have went away, if the dreams are my only worries (side affects) then it wont be so terribly bad at all! Thanks again everyone! Peace and happiness to all!

I'm glad to hear that your experience with the meds has been going so well! I'm also on aTRIPla, and while the first few nights were...well...trippy to say the least, I've found that the side effects become less and less as time goes on. I've been on it for over a year now, and only have weird dreams a few nights a month now, which I can usually trace back to having eaten dinner too late in the evening and too close to when I take the medication.